Multiple nail fastener



1941 P. w. VALENTINE ETAL 2,252,102

MULTIPLE NAIL FASTENER Filed March 30, 1940 INVENTOR P520 W. V/ILENT/NE BY KALM/q/v GE /v ATTORN Patented Aug. 12 1941 Percy W. Valentine, Brooklyn, and Kalman Gcnin, Long Island City, N. Y.

Application March 30, 1944), Serial No. 326,906

9 Claims.

invention is to provide what may be termed a 5 multiple or duplex fastener of this type and kind involving a series of interchangeable and cooperating parts used in a successive series performing the most eflicient stretching operation of skins of various kinds and classes, and particularly in the stretching and drying of fur skins wherein it is desirable to obtain the greatest possible area of fur for the various intended uses, this being particularly desirable in the stretching of expensive furs; a further object of the invention being to provide a device of the character described corn-prising a single formed part so constructed as to facilitate the use of a multiplicity of these par-ts one upon the other with means for keying and alinin-g the parts to provide in the diiierent arrangement of nails or needles on the respective parts the most eiiective stretching operations of skins while at the same time leaving a relatively straight edge on the resulting stretched skin conforming with the general contour of the skin; and with theseand other objects in view, the invention consists in a multiple nail device of the class and for the purpose specified which is simple in construction, efficient in use, and which is constructed as hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification of which the accompanying drawing forms a part, in which the separate parts of our improvement are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views; and in which:

Fig. 1 is a plan view showing the assemblage of two devices made according to our invention.

Fig. 2 is a partial section on the line L2--2 of Fig. 1, indicating the method of using the devices.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional detail view showing a method of mounting the nails or pins in each device.

Figs. 4, 5, 6 and 7 show bottom plan views of various assembled devices, diagrammatically illustre-ting different arrangement of nails or needles therein; and,

Fig. 8 is a detail view of a part of one edge portion of a skin diagrammatically illustrating the method of stretching a partially secured skin.

In the stretching of skins, hides, and the like, prior to drying the same, and particularly in the stretching of fur skins, it is customary to secure individual nails or pins along peripheral edges of the skin in the stretching operation, and by reason of the fact that many thousands of nails or pins are utilized for this purpose by workmen in performing the desired operation, the cost of this particular operation has been excessive. It is the purpose of the present invention to provide a single device having a multiplicity of nails or pins as a unitary part thereof, all of which can be simultaneously driven through the skin thereby materially saving the labor in performing the desired operation. Furthermore, by providing devices which are interchangeable one with respect to the other, having different arrangements of nails or needles therein, a more perfect stretching operation can be performed. In the various uses of the invention, the devices may be made in different lengths to accommodate skins of different types and kinds; and the illustration in the accompanying drawing is of a single length nail, but the devices may be made longer or shorter as will be apparent.

In illustrating one adaptation of the invention, each nailing or securing device I 0 comprises a body portion H of the same general structure and contour; that is to say, this body comprises an elongated plate portion l2, which is enlarged centrally as seen at l3 to form a flat top hammer surface 14 where the blow of a hammer or mallet may be applied in driving the device into position. The under surface of the enlargement i3 is recessed as seen at hi to form a hook portion It, note Fig, 2, thus providing means for the reception of an extracting tool for drawing the device It upwardly in removing the same from the supporting board or table ll upon which a skin 1'8 is arranged as diagrammatically illustrated in 'Fig. 2 of the drawing.

The inner surface [9 of the device Iii is perpendicularly straight and flat and is provided adjacent one end with an outwardly projecting dovetail key M, and at the opposed end with a correspondingly formed recess 2|, the key tongue 20 and recess 2| being arranged vertically throughout the entire inner surface t9 of the device.

The brief description of one device H1 applies to all devices. Therefore like references will indicate like parts, it being understood that the key 2 0 of one part fits the recess 2| of the other part as will clearly appear in Fig. 1 of the drawing, as well as in Figs. 4 to"? inclusive. However, in order to distinguish the parts which differ only in the arrangement of the nails or needles 23 therein, these parts will be identified for this distinction as the parts A and B in Figs. 1, 2 and 4. In Fig. 5, the part C has been added. In Fig. 6, the part D has been added; and in Fig. 7, the part E has been added. In other words, in Fig. 5 the part B is duplicated; Fig. 6 duplicates the part C, and Fig. '7 duplicates the part D.

Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive are illustrated to diagrammatically show the different types of devices which can be used, and a possible succession of uses of all of the parts in stretching certain types and kinds of furs, whereas in some instances, parts A and B alone will be used; or the parts A, B and E; whereas in other instances, the parts A, B and C only will be used, etc.

In the construction shown, the bodies II are illustrated in the form of castings or die castings made from any suitable materials, in which event the mounting ends 23a of each of the nails or pins employed will be preferably enlarged and recessed as seen at 231), note Fig. 3, so that the pins 23 may be die cast as inserts in the body l I and in a manner to maintain the outer pointed ends 230 of the nails or pins in a common alinement. However, in some uses of the invention where devices are used independent of the successive series as illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7 inclusive, every other nail in a series may be made shorter, so that after the skins are secured by the longerqnails, the skins may be pulled at points below the shorter nails, and the device thereafter driven further into the support to secure the skins also by the shorter nails. In other words, with a device such as shown at C in Fig. 5, the first nail ranging from left to right may be long, the second nail short, and the third nail long, etc. In this respect and in considering a device such as shown at E in Fig. '7, it is also possible that the long nails may be widely spaced and constitute, for example, every fourth or even fifth nail, and the intermediate second or third nails may be shorter for the purposes above stated. In this type and kind of device, it may be desirable to form the complete device of a body which would constitute the assemblage of two of the devices I0 as seen in Fig. 1 of the drawing. This would depend entirely upon the uses to which the invention is applied. The formation of separate parts Hi from a common mold with simply difierent arrangements of the pins F 23 therein are more desirable and accomplishes a wider range of uses with a minimum number of parts.

In illustrating the uses of the devices A to E inclusive as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4 of the drawing, it may be said that the pins 23 in the device A have the pins arranged on 1 centers; whereas the device B will have a similar spacing of the pins 23 with the pins arranged intermediate the pins of the device A so as to be positioned centrally of the spacing between the pins of the device A as will clearly appear in Fig. 4 of the drawing. Thus, after the skin I8 has been given preliminary stretching, and the device A secured in position in the manner shown in Fig. 2, then the device B is moved downwardly over the surface I9 of device A with the tongue and grooves interlocked, and the skin is then stretched between the pins 23 of the device A in the manner shown at 24 in Fig. 8 of the drawing. Then the device B is driven into position, the pins of the device B engaging the stretched portions 24 substantially at the X marks represented by the numerals 25 in Fig. 8. When the device B is in position, then device A is removed and device C is coupled with the device B, and the skin stretched between the pins of device B, after which the pins 23 of device C are moved into engaging position, the pins of the device C being arranged on centers, but so arranged with respect to the pins of part B as to locate the latter pins centrally of the pins 23 of part C. It will thus appear that a further stretching takes place after the removal of the part B, and thereafter the part D is secured to the skin, the part C is removed. A further stretching then takes place between the pins of part D, and finally the part E is placed into position. This latter part will have the pins arranged at A centers, and may be left upon the skin after removing the part D until the skin is fully dried.

Through this series of stretching operations, it will be understood that a more or less straight edge Will be maintained on the resulting skin, and still further a greater stretching operation is performed on the entire skin. A process of this type and kind will be utilized primarily on the more expensive skins, whereas on the cheaper skins, the process may be terminated after the uses of the device B. However, it might be desirable to apply device E to the device B in finally securing and holding the stretched skin in position; or on the other hand, a device as at C may be used in conjunction with device B for accomplishing this result. It will, of course, be apparent that the particular dimensions in the spacing of the pins is only illustrative. However, it is considered that A" spacing is sufiicient as a minimum for most skins, whereas 1" spacing is considered a sufficient maximum to most skins.

It will also be understood that a number of fastening devices are arranged throughout the peripheral edges of the skins being stretched; and interchanging takes place through each of the devices so that when the stretched skin is finally secured for drying, each skin will have a number of fastening devices, which may be the devices E arranged along the peripheral edges thereof.

The enlarged central portions of the several devices iii in addition to providing surfaces for hammering the same into the workbench or board, and providing the hook sockets for removal of the devices, also form handle members facilitating the convenient handling of the devices; and in fact, a means for supporting the same on racks or other supports for storage or other purposes. By providing the one key member and the other sockets on the surface I9 of each device, a single casting is formed; and all of the devices will be interchangeable one with respect to the other thus efiecting a material saving in the cost of manufacturing the device, and also simplifying the uses of the devices. While different lengths may be provided in the plate portions I 2, the spacing of the key portions 29 and 2I may be standardized in all devices so that the different length devices may be interchangeable with each other. This would be true except in very short devices which would have a limited number of the pins or needles. These latter devices would be considered more or less special devices and would be constructed as a single body rather than a multiple 'or duplex body involving the interchangeable parts.

In referring to nails or pins, it will be understood that the intention is to define any type or kind of prong, tooth, tack, or similar fastening member, the fineness and coarseness of which will depend largely upon the intended uses. In working on some types of skins, the fineness of the pin is of no real consequence; whereas in the more delicate skins, a more or less needle-like pin will be desirable.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A pair of fastening devices of the class described each comprising an elongated plate portion, a plurality of pins spaced longitudinally of and protruding from the lower surface of said plate portion, an enlarged body centrally of the upper end of the plate portion forming a hammer head, said head having a recessed portion for receiving a tool facilitating withdrawal of the pins of said device from a support, one side surface of said device being perpendicularly straight, said surface having adjacent one end of the device a projecting key and at the other end of the device a socket corresponding in cross-sectional contour to said key, and said key and socket extending throughout the full height of said surface.

2. A fastening device of the class described comprising an elongated plate portion, a plurality of pins spaced longitudinally of and protruding from the lower surface of said plate portion, an enlarged body centrally of the upper end of the plate portion forming a hammer head, said head having a recessed portion for receiving a tool facilitating withdrawal of the pins of said device from a support, one side surface of said device being perpendicularly straight, said surface having adjacent one end of the device a projecting key and at the other end of the device a socket corresponding in cross-sectional contour to said key, said key and socket extending throughout the full height of said surface, the spacing of the key and socket with respect to the center of said device being equal whereby a plurality of said devices are interchangeably coupled one with respect to the other with the key of one device fitting the socket of the companion device.

3. A fastening device of the class described comprising an elongated plate portion, a plurality of pins spaced longitudinally of and protruding from the lower surface of said plate portion, an enlarged body centrally of the upper end of the plate portion forming a hammer head, said head having a recessed portion for receiving a tool facilitating withdrawal of the pins of said device from a support, one side surface of said device being perpendicularly straight, said surface having adjacent one end of the device a projecting key and at the other end of the device a socket corresponding in cross-sectional contour to said key, said key and socket extending throughout the full height of said surface, the spacing of the key and socket with respect to the center of said device being equal whereby a plurality of said devices are interchangeably coupled one with respect to the other with the key of one device fitting the socket of the companion device, and the spacing of the pins on one device being intermediate the spaced pins of a companion device.

4. A fastening device of the class described comprising an elongated plate portion, a plurality of pins spaced longitudinally of and protruding from the lower surface of said plate portion, an enlarged body centrally of the upper end of the plate portion forming a hammer head, said head having a recessed portion for receiving a tool facilitating withdrawal of the pins of said device from a support, one side surface of said device being perpendicularly straight, said surface having adjacent one end of the device a projecting key and at the other end of the device a socket corresponding in cross-sectional contour to said key, said key and socket extending throughout the full height of said surface, the spacing of the key and socket with respect to the center of said device being equal whereby a plurality of said devices are interchangeably coupled one with respect to the other with the key of one device fitting the socket of the companion device, the spacing of the pins on one device being intermediate the spaced pins of a companion device, and being greater in number than the pins of the first named device.

5. A device of the class described comprising an elongated straight body, means centrally of said body and projecting to one side thereof forming a hammer surface, a plurality of pins protruding from the lower surface of said body at predetermined spaced intervals longitudinally thereof with said pins in common alinement, and alternate pins protruding a greater distance from said lower surface than the other of said plllS.

6. In devices for securing peripheral edges of skins to a support in the operation of stretching said skins, said devices each comprising a similar body portion having on one surface thereof a vertically disposed key member and a corresponding socket for keying and coupling successive devices one With the other, and each device in a series of devices having a different arrangement of pointed pins protruding from the lower surface thereof.

'7. In devices for securing peripheral edges of skins to a support in the operation of stretching said skins, said devices each comprising a similar body portion having on one surface thereof a vertically disposed key member and a corresponding socket for keying and coupling successive devices one with the other, each device in a series of devices having a different arrangement of pointed pins protruding from the lower surface thereof, and said device comprising die cast body portions with the pins thereof embedded and keyed within said body portion.

8. A fastening device of the class described comprising an elongated plate portion, a plurality of pins embedded in and protruding from the lower surface of said plate portion and spaced longitudinally thereof, an enlarged body centrally of the upper end of the plate portion forming a hammer head and said head having a recessed lower surface forming a hook for receiving a tool facilitating withdrawal of said device from a support.

9. A fastening device of the class described comprising an elongated plate portion, a plurality of pins embedded in and protruding from the lower surface of said plate portion and spaced longitudinally thereof, an enlarged body centrally of the upper end of the plate portion forming a hammer head, said hammer head projecting at one side only of said device, and the opposed side surface of said device being fiat throughout the major portion of the area thereof.

PERCY W. VALENTINE. KALMAN GENIN. 

